GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

S	1 

SENATE BILL 1369*

Short Title:  Permit Voluntary Student Prayer.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senators Carpenter, Albertson; Allran, Ballantine, Blackmon, Cochrane, Conder, Edwards, Forrester, Harris, Hartsell, Kincaid, Parnell, Perdue, Plexico, Seymour, Shaw, Simpson, Smith, Speed, and Warren.
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Referred to:  Judiciary II.
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May 25, 1994

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO DIRECT LOCAL BOARDS OF EDUCATION TO PERMIT VOLUNTARY STUDENT PRAYER AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO ASSIST LOCAL BOARDS OF EDUCATION IN CARRYING OUT THIS DUTY.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 115C-47 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(29a)	To Permit Students to Engage Voluntarily in Student Initiated Prayer.  – In order that the right of every student to the free exercise of religion be guaranteed within the schools and that the freedom of each individual student not be subject to pressure from the State to engage in or to refrain from religious observation on school grounds, consistent with the constitutional principles of freedom of religion and separation of church and state, local boards of education shall permit students in the public schools to engage voluntarily in student-initiated prayer."
Sec. 2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Board of Education the sum of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) for the 1994-95 fiscal year to assist local boards of education in implementing the provisions of Section 1 of this act consistent with the State and federal constitutions.
Sec. 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1994.